to think that it's unfair their aren't clubs solely for boys anymore?

[notterrysmine]

And if there are - please point them out to me.

My children are girly girls and boy boys. No intention on my part, but that is the way it is.

They adore each other, but their friends are of the same sex, they have chosen to go to same sex schools.

Now my girls have done girl guiding - very much for the girls and have thoroughly enjoyed it.

Now my son wants to do scouting, and in his particular group there are higher majority of girls and boys, he is not keen on continuing.

Even our boys brigade has girls and boys in it.

Girl guides are girls only with no equality issues - why can't there be boys only clubs?

AIBU?

As I say if there are boys only clubs please point them out to me.

[Lamorna]

Seeker, there were boys who left scouts when girls joined but it didn't stop them!! Let the girls leave, they would come back if there were no girls only activities.

[Lamorna]

I have to say that I think there should be girls only activities, but if you have that you need equality and there is no justification for saying girls can have clubs for themselves but boys can't! Either they both can't or they both can.

[seeker]

I'm talking about girls whose parents would not , for cultural or religious reasons, let them stay in Guides if boys joined.

[Sirzy]

Sorry but they need to learn to mix. The need for them and us is wrong on so many levels

[seeker]

It's not a matter of learning to mix. That's not the point.

[FIMBOisfirstfootin2moro]

My ds is like this. Absolutely adores going to Beavers as there are no girls there.

[Lamorna]

I think it is a question of 'when in Rome...' and if you live in culture where the sexes are equal, then you have to accept it and not expect to change it. Hoards of boys are not going to join Guides, so I really think that it would make little difference.
I think it is good to, slowly, break down the barriers whatever the religion or culture.
Either girls and boys are equal or they are not and it is very unfair to say that girls can have their own clubs but boys can't.

I can see the need for 'girls only' if their parents are going to isolate them by not letting them join, so the only fair way is to say that, in some cases-e.g. in areas where there are all girls clubs-there can be boys only. I don't believe in having one set of rules for boys and one for girls.

[goingroundthebend4]

Dd tried brownies she hated it,trying to get her place in cubs but were meeting oppstion as shock horror she's a girl.Brownies was dismissed as to girly and arty farty her words

but 3 brothers she is not girly in slightest she likes camping,outdoor stuff infact her birthday party is climbing wall one. So think you need and your Boyd that groups tend to be mixed sex nowadays

[BendyBobCratchit]

I think yabvu. I have three dc - both my dd's are cubs and scouts. I also have a ds in the cubs.

Dh gets very involved with both cubs and scouts and gives up a lot of his time for them.

Girls that join the cubs and scouts know that it is going to be less girly and it was for that reason the my dd's wanted to join. They are feminine, but you can be feminine and prefer more hands on activities too. The Brownies they were in for a while offered very tame activities which they didn't enjoy.

I think the cubs and scouts have done absolutely the right thing in accepting girls.

Separate sex organisiations in this day and age is an absurd concept and enforces outdated stereotypical genders. It is the Brownies and Guides that need to modernise their outlook imho.

Yes, offer tamer activites if that is their speciality, but to promote those areas as female only is misleading and hardly 21st century in approach.

Some boys like those things too. I do know of one who left the scouts because it wasn't his thing any more. Where can boys go if they prefer a gentler pace?

[SantasENormaSnob]

Yanbu

it's unfair and inequitable IMO

[edam]

I can't think of any single sex clubs for children apart from Brownies and Guides. Everything else is open to all. So it isn't a huge problem - it's just one organisation that is girl only. Given we live in a very sexist world, where women still earn significantly less than men, and are horribly under-represented in any positions of power - MPs, judges, company directors and chief executives, I could go on and on and on - it doesn't strike me as a massive issue.

There are plenty of single sex social groups for adults, btw. Rotary and the Masons for example - women are hived off into Ladies' Circle (dunno whether there's a female version of the Masons, I suspect not). That's why you need female business networking groups - because most of the established networks are exclusively or predominantly male.

[littleducks]

I dont know why scouts has changed so much, it seems to be trying to please everybody and loosing what it was, i suppose i shouldnt really judge as I was a Girl Guide so my loyalty is definately there- we had fierce competition at camps and parades

The scouts now have islamic/muslim scouts too. I could send dd when she is old enough, as there is a troop locally and the activities look good. I think beavers is mixed but then cubs/scouts are seperated and meet on different nights.

But i would prefer her to do rainbows amd guides and mix with different people more though

[EduStuckintheSnow]

Scouts and Guides have always welcomed children of any faith. That was one of their major points, as at the time youth groups only really existed in religious institutions.

[seeker]

What do you think Scouts have lost?

[Sirzy]

Im not sure what your point about them having Muslim members is? Groups should be inclusive for all. I am a youth leader for st John ambulance and even as an organisation with a very Christian history we still welcome members of any faith.

[littleducks]

I mean they have 24 muslim scout groups now, which worries me (as a muslim mother) as when i was a guide it was for any girls in the local area, there wasnt muslim guides/christian guides/sikh guides etc. Our promise included 'my God' but it wasnt in any way religous

The group themselves seem great, with good activites but i worry that if i sent dd to the local muslim scout group she would be missing out on the opportunity to mix with children from other faiths

[AnnOnimous]

Scouts can choose to remain boys only, but once they open their doors to girls they cannot go back to single sex.

[lurkermalurker]

As with most things in life the girls are not happy getting on with their own clubs and have to join in with "the boys", brownies and cubs do the same things, just let your girls go to the brownies ( they even wear trousers these days}... Why shouldn't there be a place where the boys can go without the girls, especially at an age where boys and girls aren't that keen on each other.

I think its all down to the parents trying to be "alternative" .

[seeker]

It's flying in the face of reality to say that Cubs and Brownies do the same things. And that is even more true when it comes to Scouts and Guides.

[bucaneve]

Two things really,

1. I loved going to guides mainly because it was girls only. At age 12/13/14 most of my year group was starting to get into boyfriends and make up etc. so I'd play along too but tbh I was still a kid at that age and didn't really like boys trying to chat me up or whatever. I can imagine some boys being like that too and wanting to get away from girls for a bit of the day.
   

1. Is it not a bit sexist to describe things that have traditionally been feminine activities as "rubbish" and "not proper activities". My favourite things at guides were IIRC cake decorating, learning to sew, first aid, and organising a charity bakesale. On the other hand I groaned any time we had to play sport or try to put up a tent.

[Slubberdegullion]

I'm with the OP. I think it's a great shame that the Scouts felt they had to accept girls in order to save the movement.

I'm a Rainbow Guider and I know my Rainbows thoroughly enjoy the hour (yes just one solitary hour) they get to spend each week in a female only space.
I agree with bucaneve, I loved my time at Brownies and Guides as it was the only opportunity I had to be just with girls. I simply wouldn't have joined if there had been boys there.

I'm loling at the posts that they need to mix, er that's what they do all the live long day at school.

[Sirzy]

Slubber the OP states her children go to single sex schools so in the case of this discussion they don't mix all day long at school which IMO makes it even more important they do outside of school.

I also think the mixing (be it with same or different sex) at an out of school club is different than things linked to school.